Musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, in a photo from their Facebook page.
In Friday’s (8/16) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jeremy Reynolds writes, “The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on Friday announced that it has reached a new, three-year agreement with its unionized musicians. The new contract, which includes a 12.6% raise in base salary over the course of the agreement, was ratified on Friday and takes effect on Sept. 2 while the orchestra is on tour in Europe…. The musicians’ current base salary is $110,384, which includes an electronic media agreement stipulating payments relating to recordings and electronic media. At the conclusion of the new contract in 2027, the base salary level will have increased to $124,020. Negotiations began in the spring, with symphony executive vice president and COO Marty Bates leading negotiations for management and musician Brandon McLean, a bass player, heading up the orchestra committee. In the last couple of years, as many orchestras and arts groups continued to regain ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic years, other orchestras around the country have been securing raises. Neighboring orchestras like The Cleveland Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra secured raises of 10% and 15% respectively, for example…. While salary is thought to have been the key issue during this contract cycle, other changes largely focus on health care updates … and some new workplace rules.”
